Spec ops guys love their toys, and SEALs especially love the idea of a new, smoother-riding boat. Here’s some of the gouge currently running at Military.com:
Navy SEALs are tough by nature, but they take a beating from their patrol boats: bruises, bumps and sore backs, even sprained ankles and chipped teeth.
An all-composite version of the aluminum Mark V patrol boat constructed by luxury boat builder Hodgdon Yachts Inc. is aimed at reducing the wear and tear on boat operators and SEALs by absorbing the impact as the vessel crashes through the waves at 50-plus knots.
The goal is to deliver up to 16 combat-ready Navy SEALS in shape to carry out their missions and to reduce the boat operators’ neck, back and joint injuries.
“The idea is to build a boat out of the best carbon-Kevlar composite that we can build to reduce those slamming forces,” said David Packhem Jr., president and chief executive officer of Maine Marine Manufacturing LLC, a military spinoff of Hodgdon Yachts.
Read the whole article here.
– Ward
I prefer the SEALION. http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2004/Aug/Navy_Special.htm
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/06/the-sealion.html
Conviently, composite ships do not reflect radar as well either.
Smoother and stealthier!
I’ve seen the Mark V and that is a pretty cool little boat. I agree, the composite material must have radar absorption properties.
And ATACMS brought up another cool gimmick too. Can it do 50 knots? Looks like an old Civil War Monitor.
Can they build me one?
Nice, New market for:
Philppines area alone & SE Asia.
Love to own Or charter one in Mil Gear mode.
But customize the interior cabin spaces for crew & guests.
Must see in a 007 movie.
Isn’t information on what spec ops people use supposed to be classified? Still, *not* being a spec-ops guy, in the Persian gulf I’d prefer a dhow.
Besides that, has anyone recently looked at Wally boats lately?
http://www.wally.com/jumpch.asp?idChannel=44&idUser=0&attivo=2
vis pacem para bellum
Pharsalus
Pharsalus,
I’ve seen the Mark V at airshows next to a C-5. I’ve also seen them on the Discovery Channel. They have been around for a little while.
And I don’t really think they are made to have long legs. They are more for coastal work and launching from an LPD or some other gator freighter.
DC2
If they want high speed and a smooth ride, why aren’t they going with a hydrofoil?
Hydrofoils are very cost prohibitive. That is why the Navy got rid of the Pegasus PHMs.
DC2
I talked to a friend in procurement programs for the Navy who is working for the Seals. They call this one the Mark 5.1. It was built with political pork from a congressional earmark. The Navy didn’t request it in their budgets. There is only one boat built and no plans to build more (no more money). They’ll probably use it for evaluation and see if it’s worth replacing the regular hull Mark Vs.
“I posted Quds facts?” Yeah,but where did you get
it? I will reread it,and I bet it was from Israel,
America and Iran… But you probably left off quote marks also…Strategypage and military.com
hackers…
The rivers in Iraq aren’t for Americans at this point in the war!The beginning of it maybe was for
insertion but not preservation…You don’t follow
logic do ya?